


They're Disgustingly Domestic (It's About Having Someone)

by blackvelvetwisteria



Series: Ace Humans Being Actual People [1]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Comfort, Demisexual!Caius, Established Relationship, Fluff, Grey!Ace Aro, Lawyer Aro, M/M, Mention of general assholes, POC Aro, Surgeon Caius, They both had Long Fucking Days, let them be happy, they're both ace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26666260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackvelvetwisteria/pseuds/blackvelvetwisteria
Summary: Ace people written by an actual Agender AroAce.Aro and Caius are in a QPR and have known each other since they were in Undergrad together. Simple slice of life for the boys.
Relationships: Aro/Caius (Twilight)
Series: Ace Humans Being Actual People [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1940248
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	They're Disgustingly Domestic (It's About Having Someone)

**Author's Note:**

> Look, okay, I'm tired and COVID has sapped my will to care. Take Aro and Caius being sweet and caring and gentle to each other.

Small mercies, Aro had quietly decided years ago, weren’t meant for people who had any significant power. He held back a sigh that seemed rooted in his bones as he collected the final drafts of several legislative issues from their respective committee heads, his silence doing more to empty the room than any of his usual parting words would have. Even the chattiest of the lot seemed to understand that his legendary patience was indeed being tried; they didn’t even attempt to make conversation beyond a quick confirmation about emailing specifics. One last level look at any straggling interns had them all but running for the door. Alone, Aro carefully fit his laptop in amongst the papers in his bag before dropping into his seat and putting his head in his hands, focused on just breathing.

The next person to insinuate Aro didn’t know what he was doing because he was brown and not white was getting ordinances specifically geared to make their lives hell, he thought sharply. His phone buzzed, startling him, and he quickly grabbed it from where it had lain on the pinewood table. The irritation rising up abated slightly when he saw that Caius had texted him. “I’m thinking rum tonight. Or whiskey. Something brown.” Attached to the text was a photo of several folders and an old Dell laptop. Despite himself, Aro felt a small sympathetic smile form. Sitting up fully and reaching for his bag, he texted back “Your day was that good?” Less than a minute after he’d sent it his phone buzzed twice, with a picture of Caius flipping off the camera followed by three letters. “ETA?” Aro laughed softly, affection ruining his bad mood. He lingered on the selfie for a moment, taking in the deep shadows under Caius’s eyes, the way his deep blue eyes seemed hazy with exhaustion and how it made his cheekbones stand out even more against his already pale skin. The waves in Caius’s white hair betrayed how he’d braided it back while still soaking wet. Aro took a second to be grateful that Caius hadn’t waited for him to help take it down and therefore avoided the hairpin headache before responding and pocketing his phone. “Fifteen to twenty, I’m not contending with rush hour now.” 

Of course it was raining. After the day he’d had it was only fitting that the sky itself seemed determined to kill him with water and lighting. Aro bit back a curse as he ran full tilt to his car, fighting the urge to strangle the universe itself. His suit quickly soaked through, his own long black hair falling from carefully straightened into drowned rat territory fast enough that Aro had to stop and wrangle it out of his eyes. Small mercy, he thought bitterly, that his suits were all black and he didn’t wear a color lighter than jewel tones. Finally unlocking his car, he wrenched the door open and all but threw himself into the driver’s seat, taking only enough care with his bag that he didn’t hurt his laptop. He cranked the heat up and just sat, breathing deeply. The car was too quiet, and the normally soothing storm outside grated on his nerves. But, Aro realized as he calmed down, he was done for the day. He didn’t have to interact with anyone; anything requiring interaction could be done the next morning. For now, he got to go home to his husband. Abruptly, Aro was done with not seeing Caius in person. He flipped the car into drive and pushed the speed limit as far as he dared, wanting nothing more than to be home already. 

For once, Caius seemed to be in a much better mood than Aro. The smell of garlic and wine and the dulcet tones of a musical met Aro at the door and he relaxed, letting the day and its multiple annoyances start to fall off him. He toed off his poor ruined shoes before peeling off his socks, wrinkling his nose at the sensation. A quick glance at the hall mirror betrayed how bedraggled Aro was and he pursed his lips as he surveyed the damage. No matter how good a mood Caius was in, his appearance as-is would garner concern. Set on avoiding that outcome, he bit his lip and turned away, padding towards the stairs as carefully as he could. Aro paused near the top, eyes caught on the main photo from their wedding nearly a decade ago. They had worn each other’s colors specifically for it, Aro in light pastels and Caius in black with their wedding bands as close to a perfect middle as they could have gotten. Yin and Yang, their friends had joked during planning; and though it had been too on-the-nose for Caius’s liking Aro had simply smiled. A soft sentimental feeling settled in next to the irritation of the day as tired tears burned at his eyes. 

He moved faster, his bag abandoned to its designated spot on the hall cabinet along with his suit jacket. He gently opened their bedroom door and the sentimental feeling grew at the sight of his well-worn gray band t-shirt and favorite black leggings neatly folded on the edge of their bed. He knew, Aro deliberately held onto the thought, and then with a wide smile followed, he’s wonderful. He changed quickly, only slowing to carefully comb out his hair. In the tranquil peace Aro allowed himself to shed a few frustrated tears to take the edge off, secure in the knowledge that Caius would decompress with him after they ate. His stomach ached at the thought of food and he winced at the reminder that lunch had been skipped in favor of yet another meeting. 

His steps surer now that he was presentable and wouldn’t garner concern, Aro made a beeline for the kitchen. The musical grew louder with each step, an older one they both enjoyed slightly more than the actual play it based itself on. He paused in the doorway, a real smile gracing his lips. His husband had his back to him, carefully washing vegetables to go with the fish Aro could see on the stove. The domesticity of the scene felt like a glorious reprieve. The music swelled again, and Caius swayed lightly along with it. Small mercies weren’t for people who got to come home to something like this, Aro resolved. He dropped his gaze to his wedding band, twisting it and watching it gleam in the overhead lights. 

The clear, light tenor that cut through the music had his attention instantly. Entranced, he listened as Caius sang along, lending weight and sweetness to an already romantic song. “Even without you, my arms fold about you” He had always made the key change seem easy, “You know, darling why, so in love with you, am I.” Caius held the last note slightly longer than the singer, his voice steady and solid. It filled the airy space and Aro found himself stepping forward, eager for the warmth that radiated out from his preoccupied spouse. Brilliant blue eyes wide with surprised joy met his own deep brown as Aro spun Caius around, minding the vegetables he’d scrubbed free of dirt. 

“Aro! I didn’t know you were home already! I would have met you at the door.” Caius beamed at him as he pulled free long enough to wipe his hands on his dress. It was an older one, Aro noted, an off the shoulder pastel purple cotton that flared when they danced. It was a comfort object now, worn only after particularly bad days.

“No need, sweetling. This was far better to come home to.” He leant forward, resting his forehead against Caius’s. One deep breath, and another. The scent of Caius’s mint shampoo relaxed him further. Home. He was home and Caius was right here, perfectly okay and not on call for the entire night. He swallowed against the lump in his throat, his thoughts already two hours ahead to when they would decompress from their respective hells. 

“Leave work for after dinner, please. Today sucked but right now with you it sucks a lot less.” Recognizing the pleading tone, Aro straightened up and planted his feet mere seconds before Caius tackled him in a tight, desperate hug. He put his free arm around Caius’s waist and held him just as tightly, watching as the tension started to drain out of his shoulders. 

“Do you mind if I change the song, my dear?” He inquired lightly, releasing his grip. Caius stepped back, eyeing him suspiciously, though the tension he’d released didn’t return.

“Nothing dark. No Phantom. No Man of La Mancha. No Camelot. No Carousel. And no 1776.” 

“It’s not a musical. Is the Dirty Dancing soundtrack alright with you, sweetheart?” 

“Sure. Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes, I’m waiting on the fish.” Caius turned back to his cooking, twirling lightly to make his dress flare. He resumed swaying, dipping into a box step every few beats. Aro watched him, a satisfied smile on his face. 

“Perfect. Thank you, lovely.” His reply was too soft for Caius to hear from the stove. Aro moved over to the record player, carefully lifting the needle as the song ended. He switched the records, cueing up the only song he was interested in. Caius was dressed for dancing, after all, and Aro wasn’t one for missing golden opportunities. 

He returned to the kitchen as the opening strains of the song played. Caius was leaning against the counter, smiling softly, his eyes distant. 

“Penny for your thoughts, my sweet?” Aro nudged playfully. Caius blinked, focusing on him. His demeanor was soft, light save for the tightness of his jaw. Aro felt his spirits lift considerably. 

“We danced to this at our wedding. Aro, you absolute sap.” The good-natured disgust in his tone was matched by the happiness in his eyes. Aro’s delighted laugh was all the answer he needed to give.

Caius met him in the middle of the kitchen. Aro reached out, taking his hand and pulling him close. Aro grinned cheekily. “Hello, beautiful. Would you do me the absolute honor of dancing with me?” His words from their first date, replayed again at their wedding, and now, a steady solid reminder. Caius just laughed, stepping closer into position. Their grips may have been just shy of too tight but neither cared, losing themselves to the rhythm of the song. He dipped Caius carefully before spinning him, watching as his dress flared out fully. Tears pricked at his eyes again, but the smile on his face was sincere. Pulling him back, Caius shifted to lean against him and stayed there. Aro hummed along, his eyes on his husband’s face. Caius had closed his eyes, allowing a small, vulnerable smile. The flush in his cheeks made him look less like a corpse and more like a living human. They should probably look at vacation days soon, Aro mused to himself. There were only so many months of daily fourteen hour shifts a person could handle. He relaxed his grip slightly as the song ended, waiting for him to straighten up before letting go fully. He didn’t miss the dejection that crossed Caius’s face as they separated. 

“Stay. Please. I know you usually go sort your paperwork out and if it’s actually imperative I don’t mind. But I’d prefer if you kept me company.” Caius stated airily, though his eyes belied his emotions. Aro didn’t even blink as he hopped up on the counter next to the stove and favored Caius with a sweet, gentle look. 

“My work will keep. I promise, lovely. There’s literally nowhere else in any universe I’d rather be.” Caius shifted next to him, knocking his legs out of the way of the oven. He shut the door and flipped the stove off. Aro nearly missed his hands shaking as he set up the vegetables on their plates. He sighed, watching as Caius’s shoulders began to tighten up again. The initial relief of being home faded as the day’s irritation flared, bringing thoughts of work with it. He startled as he felt a nail break, and hurriedly released the countertop from his unconscious death grip. A discreet look at the clock showed he had about another ten minutes. Aro turned his attention back to Caius, cementing his decision as Caius blinked back tears. 

“We have ten minutes, and an extra five before anything burns. Decompression happens now.” He kept his tone firm and even. “I’ll set a timer. Let’s get this done.” He reached over and set his phone up before he turned back to Caius. His overworked, overstressed husband was shaking badly. “Come here, sweet boy. Come lean on me.” He slipped off the counter. The look in Caius’s eyes showed how badly he wanted to melt at the term, and Aro held back a sigh as he thought of how long it had been since they’d properly decompressed and come down from their work. “Use your words. Fast or gentle?” He softened his voice slightly as he started a mental count. If he hit thirty with no response he’d relent and switch to signing. They had learned it together, and it had its benefits when emotions prevented proper verbal conversation. 

Caius’s voice shook nearly as much as his body when he responded twenty seconds later. “Fast. Get it done. I don’t want to be sad.” He stared at Aro, teary and desperate. Aro nodded and moved to stand directly in front of him. He slipped two fingers under Caius’s chin and made sure Caius was making eye contact.

“You can’t save everyone. And one day, you won’t be able to save me.” The simple statement broke the dam, and he braced as Caius tackled him again, bawling. The sheer amount of hurt Caius cried out pained him to hear, and he held him tight, stroking his hair. Aro took the few minutes he needed to do the bulk of his decompression mentally as Caius sobbed against his neck. His irritation began to fade as he worked through the day, finally absorbing and sorting his own emotional responses. True to form, Caius was quick and efficient with his emotions, crying it out within ten minutes. Aro didn’t let him go once he quieted, instead waiting until Caius deliberately tapped his arm four times to start loosening his hold.

The worst of it over, Aro didn’t need to ask before Caius explained. “It’s been a bad month. And there were so many who came in all at once, either it was quiet or it was slammed to capacity and I just wanted it to be over.” He gave Aro a watery smile as Aro grabbed a glass from the cabinet. “I know I did everything I could to the best of my ability. Hell, the worst ones were somehow never on my table. Hearing about it and knowing I couldn’t step in is what the hardest part of it all was.” Caius’s voice cracked and he swallowed heavily. After a moment he nodded once. “I’m all cried out. I don’t think I have tears left.” 

“Alright. Here” Aro handed him a glass of water and two painkiller tabs, “Small sips, and I want you to take both. I’m glad you acknowledged that you did everything you could, I worried for a moment we would need to have that conversation with our therapist again.” The warm smile he gave elicited a small giggle from Caius. “My sweet, beautiful boy. How are you feeling now?” Caius sniffed, making grabby hands at him. “Use your words, lovely.” Aro felt the last of his irritation dissolve as Caius smiled and blushed slightly. 

“Can I have another hug?” Caius was much steadier, and the lightness in his voice was finally reflected in the rest of his body. Aro closed the small distance between them, giving him a full, proper hug. They parted when the alarm went off, and Caius looked mildly horrified. “Shit! I forgot about the fish.” He darted over to the oven and let out a relieved breath. “It’s perfectly fine. Thank goodness, I’ve been planning this meal for two weeks.” 

“Have you really, sweetling? Neither of us have been getting out of work at our scheduled times lately.” Aro moved their plates to the side and passed Caius a pair of potholders, filing the spike of guilt away for his therapy appointment that week. 

“Yep, that’s why I texted you. If you hadn’t responded I would have moved it to a different night.” He turned to Aro, excitement visible as he held the pan of fish. “Remember that one Korean place from our anniversary? I found a recipe for the fish we got there.” He blushed heavily at the thoroughly impressed look Aro gave him. Finally, after two months of prep and a month of aggravation, they had a full night to spend together.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comment if you want, leave a kudos if you don't. Spread some love, babes. We all need it nowadays.


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